Slugs - Phosphor Bronze
 

A friend gave me some lengths of Phosphor Bronze draught excluder he found in
his garage - apparently very popular in the 60s.

It is something like 95% copper.

I thought that it would be perfect for nailing around my raised beds as a slug
deterrent: so I tried a little experiment.

I cut four strips of the material and nailed them to a flat piece of wood in a
square. I then put a slug in the middle of the square. It slowly made its way
across the square - and then straight over the "copper" strip.

Does anyone use copper as a slug deterrent and do you think it makes any
difference?

Slugs - Phosphor Bronze
 

On Mon, 20 May 2013 16:27:36 +0100, Judith in England
wrote:



A friend gave me some lengths of Phosphor Bronze draught excluder he found in
his garage - apparently very popular in the 60s.

It is something like 95% copper.

I thought that it would be perfect for nailing around my raised beds as a slug
deterrent: so I tried a little experiment.

I cut four strips of the material and nailed them to a flat piece of wood in a
square. I then put a slug in the middle of the square. It slowly made its way
across the square - and then straight over the "copper" strip.

Does anyone use copper as a slug deterrent and do you think it makes any
difference?

Phosphor bronze is about 95% copper but it does not behave like copper
at all. It won't deter slugs and neither will pure copper unless it's
going green. Alternate strips of copper tape and steel tape will deter
slugs because of the electricity produced!

Steve

--
EasyNN-plus. Neural Networks plus. http://www.easynn.com
SwingNN. Forecast with Neural Networks. http://www.swingnn.com
JustNN. Just Neural Networks. http://www.justnn.com

Slugs - Phosphor Bronze
 

"Stephen Wolstenholme" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 20 May 2013 16:27:36 +0100, Judith in England
wrote:
.. It won't deter slugs and neither will pure copper unless it's
going green.

I beg to differ Stephen. I've tried copper strips and it seemed to work
until it went green when slugs happily crawled over it.
--
Pete C

Slugs - Phosphor Bronze
 

On Mon, 20 May 2013 17:10:15 +0100, Chris Hogg wrote:

On Mon, 20 May 2013 16:27:36 +0100, Judith in England
wrote:



A friend gave me some lengths of Phosphor Bronze draught excluder he found in
his garage - apparently very popular in the 60s.

Ah yes, Atomic Strip, still available if you Google for it. Effective
as a draught excluder and durable.

It is something like 95% copper.

I thought that it would be perfect for nailing around my raised beds as a slug
deterrent: so I tried a little experiment.

I cut four strips of the material and nailed them to a flat piece of wood in a
square. I then put a slug in the middle of the square. It slowly made its way
across the square - and then straight over the "copper" strip.

Does anyone use copper as a slug deterrent and do you think it makes any
difference?

Never tried it, and never really understood why it was supposed to
work. One web site talks about a 'static charge', which it can't be (a
static charge would almost instantly leak away in those
circumstances), others talk about 'a small electrical charge', which
might be nearer the truth. I suppose it's possible that a small
voltage may be established between the copper and the slug slime or
earth, along the lines of a battery, that gives the slug a tingle,
thus causing it to recoil. In which case your experiment might have
been more successful if the piece of wood and copper strip were wet
and in contact with the ground (I'm assuming they weren't).


I must admit that did occur to me. But I have seen the copper tape advertised
as being useful round raised beds - so I wasn't certain that there had to be
ground contact.
Also I have heard of people putting the tape half way up large pots - so no
earth contact.

I will try at least wet everything and try it again.

(If I can "catch" a slug that is :-)

Slugs - Phosphor Bronze
 

On Mon, 20 May 2013 22:25:26 +0100, Judith in England
wrote:

On Mon, 20 May 2013 17:10:15 +0100, Chris Hogg wrote:

On Mon, 20 May 2013 16:27:36 +0100, Judith in England
wrote:



A friend gave me some lengths of Phosphor Bronze draught excluder he found in
his garage - apparently very popular in the 60s.

Ah yes, Atomic Strip, still available if you Google for it. Effective
as a draught excluder and durable.

It is something like 95% copper.

I thought that it would be perfect for nailing around my raised beds as a slug
deterrent: so I tried a little experiment.

I cut four strips of the material and nailed them to a flat piece of wood in a
square. I then put a slug in the middle of the square. It slowly made its way
across the square - and then straight over the "copper" strip.

Does anyone use copper as a slug deterrent and do you think it makes any
difference?

Never tried it, and never really understood why it was supposed to
work. One web site talks about a 'static charge', which it can't be (a
static charge would almost instantly leak away in those
circumstances), others talk about 'a small electrical charge', which
might be nearer the truth. I suppose it's possible that a small
voltage may be established between the copper and the slug slime or
earth, along the lines of a battery, that gives the slug a tingle,
thus causing it to recoil. In which case your experiment might have
been more successful if the piece of wood and copper strip were wet
and in contact with the ground (I'm assuming they weren't).


I must admit that did occur to me. But I have seen the copper tape advertised
as being useful round raised beds - so I wasn't certain that there had to be
ground contact.
Also I have heard of people putting the tape half way up large pots - so no
earth contact.

I will try at least wet everything and try it again.

(If I can "catch" a slug that is :-)

I understood that for the copper tape to work you have to put 2 strips
with a gap of no more than 1 inch between. The slug will recoil when
it touches the second strip, due to the electric shock it gets when in
contact with both strips. I used it once years ago and decided it
didn't work when I found a snail on the side of the pot between the 2
strips of copper. I had put them too far apart.


Pam in Bristol

Slugs - Phosphor Bronze
 

Judith in England wrote in
:



A friend gave me some lengths of Phosphor Bronze draught excluder he
found in his garage - apparently very popular in the 60s.

It is something like 95% copper.

I thought that it would be perfect for nailing around my raised beds
as a slug deterrent: so I tried a little experiment.

I cut four strips of the material and nailed them to a flat piece of
wood in a square. I then put a slug in the middle of the square. It
slowly made its way across the square - and then straight over the
"copper" strip.

Does anyone use copper as a slug deterrent and do you think it makes
any difference?


I read ages ago that dissimilar metals can cause an electric current.
(basics for a small charge). Elecrolite static charge? We can get corrosion
from this and during this process a polaric field can be obtained. It is
arguable that this is how life was formed with the aid of liquid water.

Baz

Slugs - Phosphor Bronze
 

"Baz" wrote
I read ages ago that dissimilar metals can cause an electric current.
(basics for a small charge). Elecrolite static charge? We can get corrosion
from this and during this process a polaric field can be obtained. It is
arguable that this is how life was formed with the aid of liquid water.



That's why you don't use Stainless Steel screws/bolts in Aluminium. The Ally
will just corrode away.
--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK

Slugs - Phosphor Bronze
 

On 21/05/2013 13:32, Bob Hobden wrote:
"Baz" wrote
I read ages ago that dissimilar metals can cause an electric current.
(basics for a small charge). Elecrolite static charge? We can get corrosion
from this and during this process a polaric field can be obtained. It is
arguable that this is how life was formed with the aid of liquid water.



That's why you don't use Stainless Steel screws/bolts in Aluminium. The Ally
will just corrode away.

It depends. Large area of aluminium fastened by stainless steel is
usually considered safe. The other way round and you are asking for
trouble. Up the ante by introducing sea air and it is best to insulate
the joint.
--
Phil Cook

Slugs - Phosphor Bronze
 

On 21/05/2013 13:32, Bob Hobden wrote:
"Baz" wrote
I read ages ago that dissimilar metals can cause an electric current.
(basics for a small charge). Elecrolite static charge? We can get
corrosion
from this and during this process a polaric field can be obtained. It is
arguable that this is how life was formed with the aid of liquid water.



That's why you don't use Stainless Steel screws/bolts in Aluminium. The
Ally will just corrode away.

So what combination of metals would stand the best chance of success do
you think?

Slugs - Phosphor Bronze
 

On Mon, 20 May 2013 16:27:36 +0100, Judith in England
wrote:



A friend gave me some lengths of Phosphor Bronze draught excluder he found in
his garage - apparently very popular in the 60s.

It is something like 95% copper.

I thought that it would be perfect for nailing around my raised beds as a slug
deterrent: so I tried a little experiment.

I cut four strips of the material and nailed them to a flat piece of wood in a
square. I then put a slug in the middle of the square. It slowly made its way
across the square - and then straight over the "copper" strip.


I have a small railway around part of the garden. Most of the track is
nickel silver but some is phosphor bronze.
Slugs still crawl over it, even if the power is on. Thats only about
15 Volts but as that does not seem to stop them I don't think the
miniscule amount created by copper strips is going to worry them.
Connected to the mains or an agricultural electric fence it might but
in my case that would upset next doors cat.
G Harman

G Harman

Slugs - Phosphor Bronze
 

On 22/05/2013 07:10, wrote:
On Mon, 20 May 2013 16:27:36 +0100, Judith in England
wrote:



A friend gave me some lengths of Phosphor Bronze draught excluder he found in
his garage - apparently very popular in the 60s.

It is something like 95% copper.

I thought that it would be perfect for nailing around my raised beds as a slug
deterrent: so I tried a little experiment.

I cut four strips of the material and nailed them to a flat piece of wood in a
square. I then put a slug in the middle of the square. It slowly made its way
across the square - and then straight over the "copper" strip.


I have a small railway around part of the garden. Most of the track is
nickel silver but some is phosphor bronze.
Slugs still crawl over it, even if the power is on. Thats only about
15 Volts but as that does not seem to stop them I don't think the
miniscule amount created by copper strips is going to worry them.
Connected to the mains or an agricultural electric fence it might but
in my case that would upset next doors cat.
G Harman

Interesting

Slugs - Phosphor Bronze
 

I have a small railway around part of the garden. Most of the track is
nickel silver but some is phosphor bronze.
Slugs still crawl over it, even if the power is on. Thats only about
15 Volts but as that does not seem to stop them I don't think the
miniscule amount created by copper strips is going to worry them.
Connected to the mains or an agricultural electric fence it might but
in my case that would upset next doors cat.
G Harman

G Harman



That's because...........

Wait for it .........

Wait for it......

You have then trained

Slugs - Phosphor Bronze
 

In article , Judith in
England writes


Does anyone use copper as a slug deterrent and do you think it makes any
difference?

A friend bought some to experiment. He has two pots with box topiary
where slugs and snails like to shelter: he puts slug pellets on top of
the compost and usually finds plenty of dead gastropods.
With one strip of shiny copper tape around each pot he gets no dead
slugs or snails at all so he deduced that the tape keeps them out.

I told him he should've taped one pot and kept the other as a control:
he blew a raspberry at me and put the kettle on.

All the speculation as to how it works is just that: speculation (with
maybe a smidge of quantum fruitloopery). It's interesting that it
doesn't seem to work consistently. If I could get some I'd try
different species of gastropod in different conditions.

Now, where can I get lily beetle tape?
--
Sue ]:(:)

Slugs - Phosphor Bronze
 

On 22/05/13 07:10, wrote:
On Mon, 20 May 2013 16:27:36 +0100, Judith in England
wrote:



A friend gave me some lengths of Phosphor Bronze draught excluder he found in
his garage - apparently very popular in the 60s.

It is something like 95% copper.

I thought that it would be perfect for nailing around my raised beds as a slug
deterrent: so I tried a little experiment.

I cut four strips of the material and nailed them to a flat piece of wood in a
square. I then put a slug in the middle of the square. It slowly made its way
across the square - and then straight over the "copper" strip.


I have a small railway around part of the garden. Most of the track is
nickel silver but some is phosphor bronze.
Slugs still crawl over it, even if the power is on. Thats only about
15 Volts but as that does not seem to stop them I don't think the
miniscule amount created by copper strips is going to worry them.
Connected to the mains or an agricultural electric fence it might but
in my case that would upset next doors cat.

To be effective you want a zinc strip and a copper one, about a quarter
of an inch apart.

I doubt very much that the draught excluder strip is phosphor bronze,
which is a bearing material.

--
Rusty Hinge

Slugs - Phosphor Bronze
 

On 23/05/13 10:00, Darkside wrote:
In article , Judith in
England writes


Does anyone use copper as a slug deterrent and do you think it makes any
difference?

A friend bought some to experiment. He has two pots with box topiary
where slugs and snails like to shelter: he puts slug pellets on top of
the compost and usually finds plenty of dead gastropods.
With one strip of shiny copper tape around each pot he gets no dead
slugs or snails at all so he deduced that the tape keeps them out.

I told him he should've taped one pot and kept the other as a control:
he blew a raspberry at me and put the kettle on.

All the speculation as to how it works is just that: speculation (with
maybe a smidge of quantum fruitloopery). It's interesting that it
doesn't seem to work consistently. If I could get some I'd try
different species of gastropod in different conditions.

Whelks?

Now, where can I get lily beetle tape?

The stationer. Double-sided sticky tape will catch them all - and
everything else.

--
Rusty Hinge